Harris not part of Team Einarson's lineup for 2025 Scotties
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Despite winning her appeal regarding a drug suspension last week, Briane Harris will not join Team Kerri Einarson for next month's Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay.
In an effort to "maintain consistency," Team Einarson announced on Friday they will keep the same lineup they played with at the Grand Slam event in Guelph earlier this month, including Val Sweeting at third, new addition Karlee Burgess at second and Krysten Karwacki at lead.
Team Einarson lost in the quarterfinal round to Sweden's Team Isabella Wrana at the Masters.
They added they will announce their fifth player in the coming days.
"We would like to reiterate our happiness in hearing Briane's news that she is cleared and can return to playing the sport she loves," Team Einarson said in a statement. "Due to the uncertainty of not knowing the timing and final result of Briane's appeal, we had locked in our fifth player for the Scotties before hearing her news."
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week Harris beared "no fault or negligence" for the anti-doping rule violation that has kept her sidelined from competitive curling since hours before the start of last year's Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary.
Karwacki, the team's regular alternate, played lead for Team Einarson at the Calgary Scotties and throughout this season. Meanwhile, regular second Shannon Birchard has missed most of the 2024-25 campaign with a knee injury, forcing Team Einarson to use a handful of replacements. Burgess was acquired from Team Chelsea Carey earlier this month as an permanent replacement for the remainder of this season.
Harris won four straight Canadian women's curling championships with Team Einarson from 2020 to 2023.
The 2025 Scotties runs from Feb. 14-23 at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay.